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Wednesday, December 17, 2014

For December 17th, International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers, I'd like to share a poem I wrote on Tuesday,
December 11, 2007.

Guilty
And the trial ends
But the
mourning continues for
Family and friends
Mona, Sereena,
Andrea, Brenda, Georgina,
Marnie was my cousin's mom
Six of the
numerous women
Now gone
And the preying continues
Even
though one man's jailed
The fight to stop sex work
Has
miserably failed
And other more effective
Ways to stop
violence
Are sneered at and opposed
By "feminist"
advisement
It's hard to stand by
While my comrades are
murdered
Not by paying johns
As many have heard

It's not
sex work that kills us
When we hit the streets
We're ignored
like the blisters
We have on our feet
Watch me walk for my
dinner,
My rent, my next hit
Watch me run from the killer,
The
cops, the thrown shit
They all say I am trafficked
And yes it
is true
But the people who move me
Are the boys in blue
They
red zone me, arrest me,
There's no laws that protect
Not for me
- I am nothing
My screams they neglect

And I say to the
masses
Their heads up their asses
Get off the high horses
Your
MP endorses
And I beg of my sisters
Who buy into the
whispers
That sex work is wrong
And must only be gone
And I
spit at the women
Who "speak for all women"
As though
they are prophets
Against all the harlots

The violence
won't end
Until something is done
It's murder that all
Of
your efforts have won

About the Author

Annie Temple is the stage and writing name of Trina Ricketts. Trina has 17 years experience as a striptease artist and 15 years as a sex worker rights activist, but she's been a rebel all her life. In 2000, she founded NakedTruth.ca to support other entertainers by reducing isolation, educating about health and safety, sharing information about gigs, challenging stereotypes, teaching etiquette to customers, and organizing in-person events for charity and to promote ethical businesses in the industry. Some of the groups and functions that Trina is associated with are Exotic Dancers for Cancer (now BoobaPalooza), The Naked Truth Adult Entertainment Awards, Trade Secrets Guide, BC Coalition of Experiential Communities, Canadian Union of Naked Trades, as well as several community sex worker supportive organizations. Trina is a mom of three, a lover of writing and dancing. Currently she continues to run NakedTruth.ca and recently she founded Digital Activist Media - a project to investigate digital activism strategies and share them with other change-makers. Trina's activism efforts have expanded to include many issues, but her main activities involve sex worker and health freedom rights.

Monday, December 8, 2014

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne has asked the province’s attorney general to investigate the constitutional validity of Canada’s recently enacted prostitution law amid “grave concern” that the new legislation will not protect sex workers.

“I am not an expert, and I am not a lawyer, but as premier of this province, I am concerned that this legislation (now the law of the land) will not make sex workers safer,” Wynne said in a release Sunday.

The new legislation, known as the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act or Bill C-36, took effect Saturday after months of hearings and public debate.

Saturday was also the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the shooting deaths of 14 women at École Polytechnique in Montreal at the hands of gunman Marc Lépine.

In her statement Sunday, Wynne said she has listened to the debate that has taken place since last December’s Supreme Court of Canada ruling that struck down as unconstitutional three prostitution-related laws.

She said she is concerned the new law will protect neither exploited persons nor communities, and she has also asked Ontario’s attorney general, Madeleine Meilleur, to advise her on the province’s options in the event that the legislation’s constitutionality is in question.

“As I have said before, my priority in this debate is to ensure that our laws and institutions enhance the safety of those who are vulnerable — in this case, sex workers: a class of (mostly) women, who are disproportionately the victims of sexual and physical violence,” Wynne said. “So I believe that there is merit in considering whether the Conservative government’s new legislation meets that test.”

The controversial federal bill targets clients and pimps as criminals, and casts individuals who sell sexual services as victims, along with communities and children who are exposed to prostitution.

Advocates see sex work as a dangerous, coercive and violent occupation, and its practitioners, mainly women, as victims forced into the trade as a result of poverty, addiction or mental health issues.

Its critics say Bill C-36 will make life harder for sex workers by scaring away good clients and rushing communication with sketchy ones, make the work riskier and giving them less motivation to go to the police.

An emailed statement from federal Justice Minister Peter MacKay’s office said the Conservative government recognizes that prostitution is driven by the buyers of sex, which is why the law targets johns and pimps.

“Recognizing the significant harms that flow from prostitution, this week our government also announced new funding of $20 million available over the next five years to support exit strategy programming for those involved in prostitution,” the statement said.

Police, communities and women’s groups have welcomed the approach, it added.

But on the national day dedicated to eradicating violence against women, the day the new prostitution legislation officially came into effect, more than 60 organizations signed a statement calling for non-enforcement of C-36 and support for the full decriminalization of sex work.

“Kathleen Wynne must demonstrate her commitment to ending violence against women. C-36 will wreak havoc on the lives of sex workers and I worry that without provincial and municipal policies of non-enforcement, we will see the continuation of the epidemic of violence against sex workers in Canada,” McDonald said.

Sunday, December 7, 2014

This December 17th is an important one for sex workers, those we work closestwith and our allies. Almost one year ago to date we celebrated a huge victory inthe Supreme Court with the recognition that criminal laws contribute to theviolence that sex workers experience. This past year we were hit very hardfighting the new regime of laws (C-36) that came into force and effect onDecember 6th. Our safety and security continues to be at risk.

With the passage of these laws we take a somber moment to mourn the lives thatcriminalization has stolen. We mourn for the continued loss of our physical,economic and psychological safety. And we mourn for the loss of dignity that wecontinue to suffer under this new regime. Most importantly, we mourn togetherwith an even stronger and more visible community of allies.

All is not lost! Our voices, support and visibility continue to shift bothpublic opinion and policy!

Please be visible with us and continue to protest the continued and systemicviolence of prostitution laws.

Halifax (Nova Scotia): December 17th is the International Day To End ViolenceAgainst Sex Workers. Stepping Stone would like to invite all our friends andallies, and anyone else who would like to stand with us, to meet us for a shortmarch. We will start at the corner of Gottingen and Cornwallis Streets for ashort march to the police station on Gottingen Street and back. Bring your redumbrellas if you have one. Come stand with us in solidarity of this importantday! Will start at 11a.m.

Halifax (Nova Scotia): December 17th is the International Day To End ViolenceAgainst Sex Workers. Stepping Stone would like to invite all our friends andallies, and anyone else who would like to stand with us, to meet us for a shortmarch. We will start at the corner of Gottingen and Cornwallis Streets for ashort march to the police station on Gottingen Street and back. Bring your redumbrellas if you have one. Come stand with us in solidarity of this importantday! Will start at 11a.m.

*****You are receiving this email because you have expressed an interest in theCanadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform. Please addcontact@sexworklawreform.com to your address book so we are sure not to land inyour junk box! If you wish to unsubscribe from this email list please email:contact@sexworklawreform.com

OVER 60 AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS CALL FOR NON-ENFORCEMENT OF C-36 AND FULL DECRIMINALIZATION OF SEX WORK

PLEASE SHARE & RT WIDELY

December 6th: National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women

December 6th is the National Day of Remembrance and Action for Violence Against Women, which commemorates the anniversary of the gender-based murders of 14 young women in Montreal, Quebec (1989) at l'École Polytechnique de Montréal. On this day we remember these 14 women who died due to gender-based violence, while addressing the ongoing violence that women face across Canada.

On December 6th 2014, the Canadian federal government will enact Bill C-36, the erroneously-named Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act, which will re-criminalize sex work while recreating the harms and violence experienced by sex workers under the previous laws criminalizing prostitution.

Bill C-36 replaces the three key provisions of the Criminal Code that were struck down by the Supreme Court on December 20, 2013 in the landmark case, Bedford v. Canada.

Bill C-36 recreates the harms of the provisions struck down in the Bedford case, allowing the epidemic of violence against sex workers to continue. Bill C-36 views all sex workers as victims of violence, rather than understanding that it is criminalization, isolation, and the denial of rights and freedoms that breeds violence and exploitation against sex workers.

As sex workers around the globe have pointed out for decades: We need the full decriminalization of sex work to ensure the safety, dignity and security of all sex workers and recognize that enforcement disproportionately targets Black, Indigenous, Migrant, Transwomen and street-based sex workers.

We call for:The repeal of Bill C-36 and the full decriminalization of sex work in CanadaLegal and labour rights for sex workersProvincial and Municipal non-enforcement of Bill C-36The destigmatization of sex workThe recognition of the dignity and value of sex workers

On this day we remember those who have died as a result of gender-based violence, over 1200 documented missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and those that still walk with us and continue to experience violence; physically, emotionally, spiritually and systematically.

On this day we join together to fight for the elimination all forms of violence against women, including Bill C-36, which will criminalize sex work and isolate sex workers, pushing them into harm’s way.

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

We are POWER (Prostitutes of Ottawa-Gatineau Work, Educate, Resist), and we are raising $10,000 to fight the stigma and discrimination that sex workers face and challenge the laws and policies that put sex workers in harm's way. The money we raise will go directly toward implementing a national strategy developed by and for sex workers to advocate for our rights. Locally, it will contribute to POWER's initiatives to combat stigma and support sex worker-positive services in our community.

Sex work is legitimate work and sex workers deserve to be protected by Canada’s human rights and labour laws. Right now, this is not the reality. POWER was established by a group of current and former sex workers and allies in 2008 to fight the stigma, human rights violations and violence that are a result of Canada’s legal and social policies.

In 2013, the Supreme Court of Canada struck down three existing laws governing sex work, ruling that they were discriminatory, unconstitutional and put sex workers in danger. Instead of consulting with sex workers to develop a response that would support our rights and serve the needs of the communities in which we work, the federal government introduced created the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act (Bill C-36). By continuing to target sex workers, our clients and those who help us in our work (managers, receptionists, security personnel, etc.) C-36 continues to put us at risk of harassment, legal discrimination, social discrimination and violence.

While this is a significant setback, POWER is committed to continuing to advocate for sex worker safety and rights. In spring 2015, POWER will host a national meeting centred around sex workers and our allies to develop a comprehensive strategy to fight for our rights – but we can’t do it alone.

Our fundraising campaign will close on December 20, 2014: a year to the day that the discriminatory anti-sex work laws were struck down by the Supreme Court of Canada. Please give generously so that we can defend our rights. We need our friends and allies to join us in this fight to make sure that no more lives are lost due to Canada’s state-sanctioned human rights abuses.

Together, we can make change possible. Give today, and share this page so that others have a chance to contribute to this important campaign! Look to your right to learn about the perks that you’ll receive in exchange for your financial support. Donations start at $5 and go up to $1000.

This is a campaign to help raise funds for Safe Space in London, Ontario. With the recent passing of bill C-36 on November 6, 2014 as law, these laws will be enforced beginning December 6, 2014. Sex workers, especially outdoor sex workers, will be made vulnerable under these new laws. Safe Space is a volunteer run support centre for sex workers, allies and women in crisis operating in London's Old East Village.

More about Safe Space: "We are a volunteer run support centre for sex workers, allies and women in crisis currently operating out of EVAC at 757 Dundas. Our model is one of empowerment with the goal of meeting women where they're at and helping sex workers operate with safety and with dignity. We hope to make real a community that strives to raise the basic living conditions of its most vulnerable and exploited members. We are open Monday and Tuesday nights, 6:00pm - 11:00pm and offer harm-reduction supplies, HIV & STI/STD educational resources, cosmetics, clothes, hygienic goods, first aid, food, coffee, tea, and information about current services in London. We recognise a woman's right to choose or refuse sex work and we work to educate the public about sex work in London as well as promoting the decriminalization of sex work."

PACE Society is located in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, BC, Canada. We offer low-barrier programming and support in order to serve Vancouver’s most marginalized populations; people who often fall through the cracks due to ineligibility for services that require a fixed address or drug and alcohol abstinence can access our services. In this respect, PACE is on the frontline of support for those in Vancouver who need it most.

We are made up of dedicate, compassionate individuals who are committed to providing Sex Worker-led and driven programs and services to Sex Workers.

MISSION

PACE promotes safer working conditions by reducing harm and isolation through education and support. We believe that Sex Workers are valuable members of our community and are entitled to the same rights as all other human beings.

VISION

We envision a future where all Sex Workers are free from the risk of violence, discrimination, social stigmas and harms so they may enjoy the same rights as all other Canadian citizens, including the rights to life, liberty, security of the person and equal protection under the law.

We hope for long-term commitments to social change within all levels of government and individual citizens to eradicate systemic issues that lead to survival sex work such as poverty, homelessness, health and addictions so that individuals can make safe, health and informed decision in their lives.

Monday, December 1, 2014

Do you have experience using harm reduction strategies in the survival sex trade?

I am a Master of Social Work student at the University of British Columbia. For my graduate research course, I am conducting a study entitled "Harm Reduction Strategies in the Survival Sex Trade: Hearing Women’s Voices."

You are eligible to participate in this study if:

You identify as a woman aged 19 years or older

You have engaged in work in the survival sex trade within the last ten years

You can speak about a harm reduction strategy that you use in the sex trade

You speak and understand English

You are willing to provide up to 1 hour of your time to be interviewed

You will be given the option to review a written analysis of the study’s finding. Total maximum time commitment (including review of the analysis) will not exceed 2 hours.

$20 cash will be offered in appreciation of your time and participation.

This study is being supervised by Pilar Riano, Associate Professor, UBC School of Social Work, pilar.riano@ubc.ca.